ALWAYS SAY GOODBYE

Lew Fonesca’s search for his wife’s killer turns out to be the most understated of his five adventures to date (Denial, 2005, etc.).

Four years ago, the Fonescas lived in Chicago, where Catherine was an up-and-coming prosecutor and Lew an investigator for the Cook County State Attorney’s Office. Then a hit-and-run driver ended Catherine’s life and sent Lew fleeing to Sarasota, where he’s worked ever since as a hole-in-the-wall process server. Now he’s finally ready to return to the Windy City, face his sister Angela and her husband Franco Massaccio and reopen the old wound. Why was Catherine coming home from work at 3:00 p.m., and what happened to her briefcase and the presumably important papers that were inside? Before Lew can answer these questions—before he’s even finished riding in from the airport in Franco’s tow truck—he realizes he’s being followed. John Pappas and Andrej Posnitki, a pair of hit men who’ve had a falling-out, are determined to prevent Lew from digging up the secrets Catherine took to her grave. Everybody Lew confronts insists they’re all trying to protect him, but the rising body count strongly suggests that somebody’s lying. The string of felonies will continue even after Lew, thinking he’s wrapped everything up, returns to Florida.

Several expertly handled little mysteries, but no big bang. Kaminsky is clearly aiming at series fans who are aching for the moment when Lew can finally say goodbye.